Suspected Gas Leak Along Prospect and N Streets

Washington Gas trucks, seen last Thursday and Friday and over the weekend along Prospect and N Streets on the west side of Georgetown, were looking for a gas leak, said advisory neighborhood commissioner Jeff Jones. Gas company trucks were parked at corners from Booeymonger's to Georgetown University, as Washington Gas workers knocked on doors of houses and sought to check each individual line. For the sake of safety, according to Jones, Washington Gas shut off gas lines to 240 buildings. Most of the underground lines date back to the 1930s.

"I thought Washington Gas responded very well," said Jones, who is also a community contact for the O and P Street Street Project. "Along with other contractor trucks, they set up a mobile command center at Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street."

As it turned out, according to Jones, there was no leak. "It was supply-line system problem," he said. Along with the upgrades in the O and P Street Project, gas lines are now high-pressure lines, Jones said. One of the benefits of high pressure is that it makes it easier to find a leak in the system; low pressure allows a leak to seep into the ground. Regarding the exact nature of the problem, Jones said that Washington Gas would have to be contacted for a more detailed explanation.

As of press time, July 30, Washington Gas was still contacting some homeowners about their shut-off gas; most gas service to the effected buildings has been restored.

Jones said that he expected a full update from Washington Gas and that he would be pushing the utility company to restore the sidewalks and all public spaces according to specifications after its emergency work.